Bog Walking in Estonia

“This is what I do on Sunday,” our Estonian host, Elin, said, gesturing to the expanse of nature around us. “This is my church.”

Quiet and still on a drizzly Wednesday morning in mid-spring, the bog spread out to the horizon painted in shades of yellowish-green, deep orange, and brown. Occasionally, the sponge-like earth was interrupted by deep pools of water. How deep, we didn’t really know…and preferred not to find out.

Heading to the bog

We had walked about 20 minutes on a boardwalk platform to reach this spot where we could step out onto the soft ground. The peat, algae, and moss matted together were darker here than in other spots in the bog – an indication that the plants were older and more stable for us to explore the unusual scenery of this part of northern Estonia.

Only about 80 kilometers from Tallinn, the Konnu Suursoo bog is part of the Pohja-Korvemaa Nature Reserve. The landscape here was formed at the end of the last Ice Age when the glacier retreated, leaving plains full of sediment that are now mostly covered by bogs and forests. This area is home to numerous animals, including brown bears, wild boar, beavers, and many types of birds. But we saw no real signs of life as we prepared for our walk.

Water peeks through the bog in many spots

Tentatively, we stepped off the platform onto the springy unknown. The first item of business was to strap ourselves in to our bog walking shoes. Essentially snow shoes, they are designed to spread your weight over a larger area than regular shoes and, thus, keep you from sinking. Once outfitted, we began our journey.

If you stand in one place too long, you start to sink a bit

While not a physical challenge, the feeling of walking on spongy, wet turf took a few minutes to get used to. We quickly learned not to drag our feet and not – under any circumstances – to try to go backward. It just doesn’t end well.

We walked our way across the soggy ground, gazing at the landscape. Small trees peeked through the bog in some places. Tart cranberries laced through the peat. Water seeped up through the mesh of our bog walking shoes every time we lingered a little too long.

Water, water everywhere

After a while, we came to the watchtower. We climbed the flights of stairs, taking in the vastness of the bog, which was hard to appreciate from the ground. It spread as far as we could see. Nearly one-quarter of Estonia is covered in similar landscape. Standing there, it was easy to imagine that very little has changed about the bogs in thousands of years.

The multi-colored view from the watchtower

Soon, it was time to return to our starting point. We wandered our way back along the boardwalk platform, only a small piece of the 370-kilometer-long trail that stretches across Estonia. As before, we watched for birds (and bears) and kept our eyes out for the tiny sour berries that dot the bog. We marveled again at the burnt colors of the landscape and returned with a greater understanding of why the unusual outdoors is so much like religion to the locals here.

Where We Stayed in Tallinn, Estonia

Right off Town Hall Square in Tallinn, Estonia, stands the Hotel Telegraaf. Before you even step into the lobby, you know this is somewhere special, as the sign over the front door gives you a glimpse into its historic past – Telegraaf, Telephon, Post, 13 Nov. 1918. Indeed, this building that was once the main center of communication for Tallinn is now a brilliant five-star hotel.

A fusion of the old and new, the Hotel Telegraff incorporates the old building which dates from 1878 with a new wing, each with a distinct look and feel. The public areas are modern with black and gray furnishings and touches of silver. But everything is ultra-comfortable, inviting guests to relax and stay for a while – in the sleek lounge, the sizable indoor pool, or the breezy summer terrace.

A stay at the Hotel Telegraaf is all about understated luxury. All the furnishings, services, and amenities one could want are on-site, but nothing feels fussy or over-worked. The atmosphere is cool, modern, and welcoming – a great place to spend some time during a visit to Tallinn.

Lobby bar

After a day of walking around the bogs of Estonia (or exploring the Tallinn Old Town), the hotel’s Elemis SPA is a great place to relax. The spa offers a full range of massages, facials, and other treatments. The pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna are also available every day.

One of the treatment rooms at the Elemis SPA

The Hotel Telegraaf is a perfect mix of history and modern elegance. Its impeccable service, delicious food, and super comfortable beds make for a flawless experience.

About Laura Longwell

Laura Longwell is the co-founder of Travel Addicts. She’s on her 9th pair of travel walking shoes and has had motion sickness on 5 continents. When she’s not traveling (or writing about travel), you’ll find her in the garden.

What a strange experience! I’ve never heard of anything like this, but such a beautiful landscape. I love that shot from the watchtower I’m guessing you had to take those bog shoes off to climb the stairs? 🙂

Estonia is a place that always seemed a little mysterious to us for some reason.
We are lovers of nature as well so we would most likely enjoy it.
It was voted the least religious country in the world. Did you find that when you visited?

How interesting. There were fewer churches than I am used to seeing in Europe, but they did exist. Perhaps there is something much deeper and broad-reaching to the statement that things like nature serve as a substitute for traditional religion.